I've seen Oblivion a lot, but not nearly as much as Broken City.

Good call. Apart from one notable scene with Jennifer Connolly, Mulholland Falls was just absolutely wretched.

"A cup of decaf by the sitting window" should really be used in the ads for this. I can't imagine anything that would appeal more to its key demographic.

Every time I watch an HBO movie about real life events I'm disappointed that it's not as good as the first one I ever saw, Barbarians at the Gate. That movie is genius.

I was in a store yesterday that started playing Hootie and the Blowfish. I immediately tried to desperately untangle my headphones, when I suddenly imagined it was Pratt singing and started chuckling to myself.

Maybe.

But he's not scary, just awesome.

Of course TV is essentially collaborative, just like film, thus my auteurist aside. I was just asking for examples of legitimately great shows (specifically dramas) that are/were not guided by a singular vision. From what I can see, every major TV drama that we all collectively hold in high esteem (Sopranos, Deadwood,…

Lost is very high-concept so that totally makes sense, and I think that sort of thing (exec initiating idea) is probably more common than we realize. Though I'm not sure Lost counts beyond this since it was really driven by its showrunners, as you said.

@avclub-eac75edc18b8546c46893fe4b75ab995:disqus I thought of L&O, but to me, the great thing about that show is its basic structure, which I would attribute to Dick Wolf. Also, from what I've heard from people who've worked on those shows, there's a kind of show bible/template from Wolf that they follow closely.

Yeah, I mentioned that in response to @avclub-e3f5ab7f02122f95b801e13e2c586d6a:disqus  above. First thing I thought of after I posted my initial comment.

True. Seems like every variety show of that era had amazing teams of writers who would go on to bigger things.

She's had too much work.

This is spot-on:

The ADHD…crazy.

This is why you should never watch soaps while tripping on acid.

If by this you mean "Al Roker's White House Adventures" starring Reginald VelJohnson, then…

Actually surprised about Hooper. Even people who were moved by Les Mis seem to agree with the critical consensus that it's horribly directed.

The more I hear people talk about the lack of available ammunition for their guns, the more prescient Bowie's "I'm Afraid of Amercians" becomes…

"I only take out my teeth when you ask me to"